Down on the Farm: Gamel, Jones await call back to majors

Mat Gamel may have a place in the Milwaukee Brewers’ plans, but for now he’s biding his time in the minors.

Gamel was optioned to Triple-A Nashville, Tenn., July 20 when the Brewers acquired Felipe Lopez in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lopez is a utility infielder and the move forced a switch for Craig Counsell to third base, where Gamel had been playing.

The former Chipola standout was hitting .239 with four home runs and 18 RBIs for the Brewers in 113 at-bats over 48 games. He made four starts in his last
five games with the team, but had only three hits.

He has run into a rough patch in his return to Nashville. He is hitting just .121 with no home runs and four RBIs over his last 10 games entering this weekend.

Gamel still figures heavily into the Brewers’ future plans. The fact the team didn’t deal him before the trade deadline was a good sign, and he received glowing endorsements from Manager Ken Macha. Gamel is currently on the Brewers’ 40-man roster, so a September call-up will be in the works for the third baseman.

Waiting as well

Former Wewahitchka star
Brandon Jones also will be getting a call-up in September. He is a member of the Braves’ 40-man roster and will see time with the parent club when rosters are expanded after this month.

Jones appeared in just five games with the Braves this season, hitting .308 with an RBI in 13 at-bats. He is hitting .284 in 81 games with Triple-A Gwinnett, Ga., with three homers, 38 RBIs and four stolen bases.

The outfielder spent 41 games with the Braves in 2008. He had a homer and 17 RBIs in 116 at-bats that season.

Not always easy

Professional baseball is never easy, and a few area prospects
are learning the lesson first-hand this season.

Former Chipola left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin has been roughed up in his debut with Single-A Orem, Utah. Corbin has made six appearances, five of those starts, and has given up 23 hits over 17 1/3 innings. He carries a 1-1 record, but also has yielded 12 earned runs for a 6.23 ERA.

Former Rutherford player Mike Felix is trying to find consistency to help him move up the ladders. He has combined for 23 walks and 13 strikeouts in Single-A stops with State College, Pa., and Lynchburg, Va. He also had been touched for 30 hits and 18 earned runs in a little more than 31 innings.

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